NOV. 3, 2010 -- Since its opening on Oct. 4, the new Ronald McDonald House on the campus of St. John's Mercy Children's Hospital has already served 17 families of critically ill children. The third house to open in metro St. Louis (and the 300th in the world), the facility supports families of children being treated at West County hospitals.

The 18,000 square-foot house provides a comfortable place for families to stay while they find strength from the staff, volunteers and other families. There are 20 rooms in the Ronald McDonald House, and staff anticipate that they will accommodate more than 700 families each year.

“Families of patients at St. John’s Mercy Children’s Hospital and other hospitals in St. Louis County who travel long distances for care will have one less worry with the new Ronald McDonald House on our campus. We are excited to partner with and support Ronald McDonald House Charities of Metro St. Louis as it grows and reaches the worldwide 300th House milestone,” said Dr. Joseph Kahn, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at St. John's Mercy Children's Hospital.

“RMHC was founded on the idea of strength in numbers,” said Linda Dunham, board chair of Ronald McDonald House Charities. “We believe there is strength in the whole family being close together during the most trying of times. As treatment options advance and families search for the best care for their child, Ronald McDonald Houses are a critical part of the solution, supporting the entire family and helping the child heal faster and cope better. The opening of the 300th Ronald McDonald House is a testament to the community's support of these families, and we are excited to serve even more families and children around the world and in the St. Louis community.”

Since 1981, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Metro St. Louis has served as a “home-away-from-home” for more than 30,000 families traveling to St. Louis with seriously ill children.

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